BAFTA

Find out more about the leading British charity that supports, promotes and develops the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public.

BAFTA Kids’ Vote

BAFTA’s destination for youngsters to come and discover the magical worlds of film, TV and video games. Watch videos, play games and take part in our annual vote to decide the best film, television show, website and game of the year.

BAFTA Young Game Designers

BAFTA 195 Piccadilly

Situated in the heart of London's West End, BAFTA 195 Piccadilly is the home of BAFTA worldwide, as well as an award-winning venue for hire that offers outstanding hospitality and a suite of flexible event spaces, which can be crafted to suit any occasion.

BAFTA GURU Newsletter

Inspiring Minds in Film, TV and Games

Top Tips: Pitch Up

Share

Got a great idea for a TV show but not sure how to pitch it? BAFTA teamed up with Stellar Network for a Pitch Up! Event on Monday 23 April, and we’ve gathered the top tips for pitching that came up.

After sifting through 230 competition entries, ten finalists were selected to have the chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of TV execs. That panel was made up by Juliette Howell (Head of Working Title Television, UK), Ben Cavey (Head of Entertainment, Tiger Aspect), Huw Kennair-Jones, (Commissioning Editor, Drama, Sky), and Gregor Sharp (Executive Comedy Editor, BBC). A diverse range of ideas were presented on the night – each with different genres, audiences and formats in mind – in a wide range of pitching styles. Here are the top tips that the panel had for our finalists on how to perfect a pitch:

Perfect Your Characters

•If you have a great concept, make sure you match it with great characters – high-concepts in particular require an even greater focus on characters
•Every character has to be unique, every character relationship must be rewarding, and each character’s emotional and physical journey must be defined
•Don’t be afraid to prepare casting suggestions as they can be helpful during the pitch

Develop Your Story

•Don’t overcomplicate it; the best ideas keep things simple by honing in on the story and characters
•Science-fiction stories should establish a set of rules that cannot be broken to prevent them from becoming too unwieldy
•If you are developing an idea for a series, set up a universe full of conflicts, rivalries and relationships through which individual stories can be told
•Ensure that there is a consistency of tone throughout, and think about what wider message you are trying to get across through your story

Preparing for the Pitch

•Work out which channel is best suited to your idea, and make sure that’s the channel you’re pitching to
•Don’t pitch your idea until you’re sure that it’s ready and you think it’s perfect
•Have a clear idea of how it would be filmed (studio, single-camera etc.) and also how and when you think it should air
•Prepare visual aids if you think they might be necessary, and take a writing sample along with you to prove you have the ability to develop your story on the page

During the Pitch

•Inject your personality into the pitch and make the story your own – show what you can bring to this story that makes it different. Know what your USP is and clearly define it
•Don’t lose focus during the pitch and get your timings right. Even the best ideas can be overlooked if you start to waffle or don’t deliver the whole idea during the allotted time
•Presenting unique and challenging ideas, or delivering a performance pitch can be risky – they could just as likely turn someone off your idea as they could catch their attention
•Once you’ve finished, listen to the feedback you get and take it on board. Don’t be defensive or impolite in the face of negative feedback

And finally, to help you know who to pitch to, here’s what our panel are looking for:

•Juliette Howell: Working Title Television are looking for a long-running series with international appeal, and quality and commercial potential – ideally a contemporary drama that could play out at 9pm
•Ben Cavey: Tiger Aspect are rarely interested in one off programmes, it has to be a series to get their attention. If it's a really, really funny idea he'll want to meet up and talk
•Huw Kennair-Jones: There are no set rules at Sky other than if you can see your idea working for another channel, it won't work for Sky
•Gregor Sharp: BBC2 are looking for a huge ‘laugh your socks off’ sitcom for BBC2 – something that plays towards the fun, lower end of the comedy spectrum. For BBC3 he is looking for something experimental, bold and completely different